Riviere de Galets Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Riviere de Galets.

Right off the bat, the first week is a bit of a write-off. There’s surf, sure, but the conditions are messy and the forecasts are marginal. We’re looking at a few decent days in the second week, but you’re gonna have to be patient.

The week kicks off with a strong, long-period SW groundswell pushing through, but the ESE cross-winds are howling at 19 mph, making a mess of things. The water temp is 76°, which is a touch warmer than average for this time of year, so at least you can ditch the rubber. The combined wave energy is solid (1396), but the surf is lumpy and cross-chop. It’s not great. Monday and Tuesday see the swell building, actually getting too big for the break by Monday afternoon with 10 ft on the face, but still with a fresh cross-wind so it’s a no-go for a good session. That size is expert-only stuff anyway.

We see a bit of a drop in size through Wednesday and Thursday, with 7 ft to 7 ft waves, but the wind stays cross-shore, so it’s still not the clean, lined-up stuff we all want. Friday and Saturday see the swell dip and mix, with a few long-period pulses, but the conditions remain average.

Now, if you’re looking for a standout, you want to circle Thursday, the 20th of August. That’s the one that’s got my attention. The morning has a light cross-offshore breeze from the ENE at 6 mph, pushing into a 6 ft clean swell from the east with a short period of 8 seconds. The combined energy is weak (776), but the setup looks clean. Then in the afternoon, it goes glassy—absolute zero wind—with a 5 ft east-swell. That is pure gold. For a reef and point break like Riviere de Galets, that glassy, clean surface will be the best we see in this whole window. The crowds are sometimes a factor here, so expect a few others with the same idea, but for that quality, it’s worth it.

After that, it’s a bit of a sad story. Friday the 21st and Saturday the 22nd are poor, with tiny, weak surf and onshore winds. Then we get a massive spike on Sunday the 23rd of August—15 ft of southerly groundswell with a combined energy reading of 11633. That’s insane power, but it’s way too big and the wind is cross-onshore. That setup is more for the kites than paddles. Monday the 24th is still big at 10 ft, but the wind stays messy.

So, overall: the early part is a bust. Hold out for the morning of the 20th and especially the glassy afternoon session. That’s your best bet. The long-range stuff late in the window is massive but blown-out.

Rusty.

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